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<div class="para">
<h2>Format of the path names</h2>
<p>The path name format on the FatFs module is similer to MS-DOS as follows.</p>
<pre>
 "[<em>drive#</em>:][/]<em>directory</em>/<em>file</em>"
</pre>
<p>The FatFs module supports long file name and 8.3 format file name. The long file name can be handled in LFN configuration <tt>(_USE_LFN == 1)</tt>. The path names are input/output in local code (SBCS/MBCS) or Unicode string depends on the configuration options. The sub directories are separated with a / or \. The logical drive number is specified in a numeral with a colon. When the drive number is omitted, it is assumed as default drive (0 or current drive).</p>
<p>In default configuration <tt>(_FS_RPATH == 0)</tt>, it does not have a concept of current directory like OS oriented file system. All objects on the volume are always specified in full path name following from the root directory. Dot names are not available. Heading separator is ignored and it can be exist or omitted. The default drive number is fixed to 0.</p>
<p>When relative path feature is enabled <tt>(_FS_RPATH == 1)</tt>, specified path is followed from the root directory if a heading separator is exist. If not, the path is followed from the current directory set with <a href="chdir.html">f_chdir</a> function. Dot names are also available for the path name. The default drive number is the current drive number set with <a href="chdrive.html">f_chdrive</a> function.</p>
<table class="lst2">
<tr><td>Path name</td><td>_FS_RPATH == 0</td><td>_FS_RPATH == 1</td></tr>
<tr class="lst3"><td>file.txt</td><td>A file in the root directory on the drive 0</td><td>A file in the current directory on the current drive</td></tr>
<tr><td>/file.txt</td><td>A file in the root directory on the drive 0</td><td>A file in the root directory on the current drive</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td>The root directory on the drive 0</td><td>The current directory on the current drive</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:</td><td>The root directory on the drive 2</td><td>The current directory on the drive 2</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:file.txt</td><td>A file in the root directory on the drive 2</td><td>A file in the current directory on the drive 2</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:/</td><td>The root directory on the drive 2</td><td>The root directory on the drive 2</td></tr>
<tr><td>../file.txt</td><td>Invalid name</td><td>A file in the parent directory</td></tr>
<tr><td>.</td><td>Invalid name</td><td>This directory</td></tr>
<tr><td>..</td><td>Invalid name</td><td>Parent directory of the current directory</td></tr>
<tr><td>dir1/..</td><td>Invalid name</td><td>The current directory</td></tr>
<tr><td>/..</td><td>Invalid name</td><td>Invalid name (Cannot use dot names at the root directory)</td></tr>
</table>
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<p><br></p>
<div class="para">
<h2>Unicode API</h2>
<p>The type of arguments that specifies the file names are defined as <tt>XCHAR</tt>, which is the alias of <tt>char</tt> in default. The code set of the file name string is the local code set that specifid by <tt>_CODE_PAGE</tt>. When <tt>_LFN_UNICODE</tt> is set to 1 with LFN configuration, the type of the <tt>XCHAR</tt> is switched to <tt>unsigned short</tt> (wide character) to support Unicode. In this case, the LFN feature is fully supported and the Unicode specific characters, such as ♥, ☭ and ❶, can also be used.</p>
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<p><br></p>
<div class="para">
<h2>Correspondence between logical and physical drives</h2>
<p>The FatFs module has work areas that called <em>file system object</em> for each volume (logical drive). In default, the logical drive is bound to the physical drive that has same drive number, and the first partition is mounted. When <tt>_MULTI_PARTITION == 1</tt> is specified in configuration option, each individual logical drive can be bound to any physical drive/partition. In this case, a drive number resolution table must be defined as follows:</p>
<pre>
Example: Logical drive 0-2 are assigned to three pri-partitions on the physical drive 0 (fixed disk)
         Logical drive 3 is assigned to physical drive 1 (removable disk)

const PARTITION Drives[] = {
    {0, 0},     /* Logical drive 0 ==> Physical drive 0, 1st partition */
    {0, 1},     /* Logical drive 1 ==> Physical drive 0, 2nd partition */
    {0, 2},     /* Logical drive 2 ==> Physical drive 0, 3rd partition */
    {1, 0}      /* Logical drive 3 ==> Physical drive 1 */
};
</pre>
<p>There are some consideration when use <tt>_MULTI_PARTITION</tt> configuration.</p>
<ul>
<li>Only pri-partition (0-3) can be mounted.</li>
<li>When the physical drive has no partition table (SFD format), the partition number is ignored.</li>
<li>The physical drive that has two or more logical drives must not be removable drive.</li>
</ul>
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